During processing, preparation, packaging and serving, food products may encounter microorganisms that may make the food unsuitable for consumption. The microorganisms may come from the food itself, food contact surfaces, and/or the surrounding environment. The microorganisms can range from pathogenic microorganisms (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Salmonella and the like) to spoilage organisms that can affect the taste, color, and/or smell of the final food product (e.g. Pseudomonas spp, Erwinia carotovora, Fusarium spp and the like). Microorganisms can affect a wide variety of food products including meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, cheese, fruits and vegetables, and pre-prepared foods. At certain levels, the presence of microorganisms on a food product may cause everything from a consumer's perception of a lower quality product, to regulatory investigations and sanctions, to food borne illness or death.
Food processors, grocery retailers, full service restaurants (FSR) and quick service restaurants (QSR) use a variety of methods to treat food products during processing to reduce the presence of microorganisms on food products. These methods include cleaning and sanitizing the food processing plant and food handling environment, applying or incorporating antimicrobials to or in the food product, irradiating the food product, applying heat, and others. Applying or incorporating an antimicrobial composition to the food product, or to the water used in washing or transporting the food product, is a preferred way of reducing microorganisms. However, it is difficult to formulate a composition that is effective at reducing microorganisms using ingredients that are acceptable for direct food contact according to government regulations. Further, it is difficult to formulate a composition that can be applied directly to a food product without adversely affecting the color, taste, or smell of the food product. Finally, many antimicrobials used in the treatment of food products in the retail grocery, FSR and QSR markets may have worker safety concerns, material compatibility (corrosion) concerns or must be generated onsite requiring more costly equipment to dispense and use the antimicrobial.